Folding lunch box



R. L. BRAZEE FOLDING LUNCH BOX Filed Nov. 12. 1921 2 Shets-Sheet 1 INVEN TOR.

A TTORNE Y.

Patented July 17, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

RAYMOND L. BRAZEE, OF WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE HAMPDEN TOY COMPANY, OF WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSA- CHUSETTS.

Application filed November 12, 1921.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, RAYMOND L. BRAZEE, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Westfield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Folding Lunch Box, of which the following is a specification. My invention relates to improvements in folding, pocket, lunch boxes, and consists of a box constructed out of a single piece of fiber board, or other suitable material, in which only two rivets are employed, and wherein the bottom folds longitudinally in the center, the ends consist of full or complete members and flaps articulatedto the back and front sides, the flaps .fold vertically on themselves, spacers or spreaders are articulated to the bottom edges of said complete end members, the

usual cover of ordinary construction is articulated to the top of said back, and suitable fastening members secured in place by the two rivets mentioned above, all as hereinafter set forth. 7 a

The primary object of my invention is to r produce a box, of the character described above, which is very simple and inexpensive in construction, can be folded into a small compass or flat so as to, be readily carried in the pocket, and when expanded affords a substantial and safe receptacle for food.

Another object is to provide a box construction, in which only two rivets are required, and such rivets are-employed to secure the fastening means or members to the box.

Owing to the peculiar construction of this box the same canbe conveniently and expeditiously expanded and collapsed.

The cheapness of the box is due largely to the fact that the same can be produced from a single piece of material, and requires only two rivets for the completion of the same. a 1 I Other objects and advantages will appear in the course of the following description.'

I attain the objects and securethe ad vantages of my invention by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- 7 I Figure 1 is an enlarged, central, vertical section through a folding lunch box which embodies a practical form of, my invention, such box being in its completely folded condition; Fig. 2, a perspective view of said FOLDING LUNCH BOX.

Serial No. 514,543.

box, when expanded and with the cover similar parts throughout the several views.

In Fig. 3 a portion of the long flap of the cover is broken away to accommodate the View above, and the straps are cut off ust above the rivets which secure them to the box. I

The box, as illustrated in connection herewith, comprises a bottom 1, a back side 2, a front side 3, two full or complete members or pieces 4 and two flaps 5 which together make up the ends, and a cover,6 that is provided with the usual flaps 7 and 88, together with fastening means in the form of straps 9 .and 10. i J

The bottom 1 has a central longitudinal scoring orcrease 11 therein which divides such bottom into two parts and enables such parts to be folded together. The bottom edge of the back side 2 is articulated at 12 to the rear edge of the bottom 1, and the bottom edge of the front side 3 is articulated at 13 to the front edge of said bottfom. The end edges of the bottom 1 are ree.

The member or piece 4 and the flap 5 at each end of the box are articulated to the ends of the back side 2 and front side 3.

In the present example each end piece 4 has its rear edge articulated at 14 to the adjacent end of the back 2, and each' end flap 5 has its front edge articulatedatlfi to the adjacent end of the front 3, but this order might be reversed. The front and top edges of the endpieces 4 are free, and all except the front edges of the end flaps 5, are also free, except as hereinafter ex-- box when expanded.

Two other members, of which mention has not yet been made, consist of spreaders 1616. Each of the spreaders 16 has one substantially the same size and shape as such.

end piece.

Each end flap 5 inclines upwardly and rearwardly, from the lower front corner thereof, to a position which is beyond the verticalcenter of the contiguous end piece 4. There is a vertical scoring or crease 18 in each flap 5, which crease is in the central verticalplane of the contiguous end piece 4. This location of the creases 18 enables the ends of the box to be folded in a uniform manner, as will hereinafter more clearly appear. The smaller portion of the flap 5, the same being the portion set off from the main portion by the crease 18 in said'fiap, is riveted at 19 to-the contiguous end piece 4 on the outside thereof. It will now be seen that the end pieces 4 can be swung inwardly on their joints 14, and can carry with them the end flaps 5, but that the latter then bend or fold on the creases 18, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4. The reason need for this will subsequently be made p am. 7

The back edge of the cover 6is articulated at 20 to the upper edge of the back side 2. The flap 7 has its upper edge articulated at 21 to the front edge of the cover 6, and the flaps 8 have their upper edges articulated at 2222 to the ends of said cover. VVl1en the box is expanded, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the bottom 1 is spread out flat, the back and front sides 2 and 3, respectively,rise perpendicularly from said bottom, the end pieces 4 and the end flaps 5 are arranged at right angles to said back and frontsides, and the spreaders 16 are down on said bottom, with their inner edges in contact. The spreaders 16 separate and hold apart the back. and front sides at their bases and so retain the bottom 1 in its open or flat condition, said spreaders assist in retaining' the end elements in place, they augment and strengthen the bottom 11, and they generally stiffen and strengthen the structure. The end flaps 5 are in contact throughout substantially their entire area with the end pieces 4, and the latter are held against the former by the spreader 16. When thus' expanded the .box is ready to receive Its contents.

After the-box has been filled, the cover 6 is turned down over the top of the body of the same, with the flaps 7 and 8 on the outside as is customary, and the straps 9 and 10 are passed: over the top of said cover and secured in any suitable and customary manneror by any suitable and customary means. The box is collapsed or folded, after the cover 6 is opened and the contents of the box removed, by turning the spreaders 16 on the joints 17 upwardly against the inner faces of the end pieces 4, inserting the thumbs between those portions of said end pieces and of the end flaps othatare forward ofthe rivets 19 or the creases 18, and swinging said end pieces on the joints 14 rearwardly, the parts of said flaps that are in front of said creases then being carried inwardly and rearwardly as they bend or turn on the joints 15 and said creases, and the sections of the bottom 1 that are divided by the crease 11 being at the same time turned upwardly in the center as they bend or swing on the joints 12 and 13 and said crease 11, and forcing said sections upwardly, with the hand, between adjacent portions of said end flaps and end pieces, into the position shown in Fig. 1. This completes the folding operation, provided the cover 6 with its flaps has been folded over against the rear surface of the back 2. The straps 9 and 10, or the terminals of the same through which the rivets 19 pass, are now located between the larger and smaller or jointed parts of the end flaps 5, adjacent to the creases 18.

In expanding the box, it is customary, first, to insert the thumbs, between the end pieces 4 and the larger portions of the now folded end flaps 5, on the ridge formed by the folded bottom 1 adjacent to the ends of such ridge, and press down on the latter until such bottom assumes a horizontal position or lies flat on the supporting surface for the box. After this operation the end pieces 4 and the end flaps 5 are swung forwardly and outwardly as far as said flaps permit, and the spreaders 16 are turned down onto the bottom 1. Then the end pieces 4 are swung forwardly and outwardly on their joints 14 into expanding position, the end flaps 5 are carried with said end pieces into expanding position, swinging on the joints 15 and the creases 18.

More or less change in the shape, size, construction, and arrangement of some or all of the parts of this box may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention or exceeding the scope of what is claimed.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. As an improved article of manufacture, a folding lunch box constructed from a single piece of material bent and scored to provide a bottom adapted to 'be folded on itself lengthwise, back and front sides, end pieces and bottom spreaders, end flaps adapted to be folded on themselves vertically, and a cover, and two rivets to fasten together said end pieces and end flaps.

2. As an improved article of manufacture, a folding lunchbox constructed from a single piece of material bent-and scored to provide a bottom adapted to be folded on itself lengthwise, back and front sides, end pieces and bottom spreaders, end flaps adapted to be folded on themselves vertically, and a cover, fastening members, and two rivets passing through said end pieces, flaps, and fastening members.

3. As an improved article of manufacture, a folding lunch box comprising a bot tom adapted to be folded on itself throughout its entire length, back and front sides articulated to said bottom,'end pieces and end flaps articulated to said back and front sides, said flaps at the ends oppositeto their articulated edges being secured to said end pieces intermediate of the front and rear edges of the same, and adapted to fold vertically on themselves, and spread ers articulated to the bottom edges of said end pieces.

4. As-an improved article of manufacture, a folding lunch box comprising a bot-- tom adapted tp be folded on itself throughout its entire length, back and front sides articulated to said bottom, end pieces and end flaps articulated to said back and front sides, said flaps at their ends opposite to their articulated edges being riveted to said end pieces intermediate of the front and rear edges thereof, and, adapted to fold on themselves vertically, fastening members secured in place by the rivets, and spreaders articulated to the bottom edges of said end pieces.

5. As an improved article of manufacture, a folding lunch box comprising a bottom adapted to be folded on itself throughout its entire length, back and front sides articulated to said bottom, end pieces and end flaps articulated to said back and front sides, said flaps at their ends opposite to their articulated edges being riveted to said end pieces intermediate of the front and rear edges thereof, and adapted to fold on themselves vertically, fastening members secured in place by the rivets, spreaders articulated to the bottom edges of said end pieces, and a cover articulatedto said back side. I c

6. As an improved article of manufacture,

a foldinglunch box comprising a bottom having a central longitudinal crease therein,

back and front sides articulated to said bottom, end pieces and end flaps articulated to said back and front sides, said flaps having vertical creases therein in theivertical central plane of said end pieces When the box is expanded, fastening members, rivets passing through said end pieces and the other- Wise free end portions of said flaps that are beyond said creases therein, and through said fastening members, and spreaders articulated to the bottom edges of said end pieces, said spreadersbeing adapted to be disposed on said bottom when the latter is extended.

7. As an improved article of manufacture, a folding lunch box comprising a bottom having a central longitudinal crease therein, back and front sides articulated to said bottom, end pieces and end flaps articulated to said back and front sides, said flaps having vertical creases therein in the vertical central plane of said end pieces When the box is expanded; fastening members, rivets passing through said end pieces and the otherwise free end portions of said flaps that are beyond said creases therein, and through said fastening members, spread. ers articulated to the bottom edges of said end pieces, said spreaders being adapted to be disposed on said bottom when the latter is extended, and a cover articulated to said back side.

RAYMOND L. BRAZEE. 

